HEARING DEVICE WITH CHARGING AREAS

Abstract

There is presented a hearing device for being placed at least partially in an ear canal. The hearing device includes a rechargeable battery, and at least two charging areas on the surface of the hearing device, the charging areas enabling recharging the rechargeable battery by applying a voltage from one charging area to another charging area. At least one charging area is positioned on the hearing device at the end of the hearing device facing into the middle ear during use and optionally out of contact with the walls of the ear canal during use.

Claims

1. A hearing device having a housing configured for being placed at least partially in an ear canal of a user, the housing having an end configured to be positioned in the ear canal of the user and an end configured to be orientated towards the surrounding of the user when the hearing device is positioned at the ear canal of the user, wherein said hearing device comprises a. a rechargeable battery, b. at least two charging areas on the surface of the housing of the hearing device, said charging areas enabling recharging the rechargeable battery by applying a voltage from one charging area to another charging area, and wherein at least one charging area is positioned on the hearing device at the end of the hearing device facing into the middle ear during use, wherein the hearing device comprises a protrusion extending from the housing and being positioned at the end of the hearing device) facing into the middle ear during use and out of contact with the walls of the ear canal during use and wherein two charging areas are positioned on the protrusion.

2. The hearing device according to claim 1, wherein at least one charging area, such as two charging areas, is positioned on the hearing device so as to be out of contact with the walls of the ear canal during use.

3. The hearing device according to claim 1, wherein at least two charging areas are positioned on the hearing device at the end of the hearing device facing into the middle air during use and out of contact with the walls of the ear canal during use.

4. The hearing device according to claim 1, such as a hearing device comprising a housing, wherein one or more charging areas are positioned on the housing of the hearing device.

5. The hearing device according to claim 1, wherein the hearing device includes a housing having a first end and a second end being opposite to the first end, where the first end is configured to face the environment when the hearing device is worn in its operational state AND/OR where the second end of the housing is configured to extend at least partially into the ear canal of the person using the hearing device when the hearing device is worn by the person.

6. The hearing device according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion at least partially comprises a speaker unit and/or a speaker outlet.

7. The hearing device according to claim 6, wherein the protrusion includes a sound canal in communication with the speaker unit or speaker outlet.

8. The hearing device according to claim 1, wherein two charging areas are arranged opposite on the surface of the hearing device

9. The hearing device according to claim 1, wherein at least a distant part of the second end of the hearing device, such as the second end of the hearing device, such as the hearing device is defining a main axis, such as at least the distant part of the second end of the hearing device and/or the second end of the hearing device and/or the hearing device being substantially rotationally symmetrical around said main axis and/or such as the main axis being substantially coincidental to an axis of the ear canal of a person wearing the hearing device in the ear canal during use, and one or more, such as two, charging areas being equal to or less than X mm away from said main axis hearing device, wherein X is less than 5 mm, such as less than 4 mm, such as less than 3 mm, such as less than 2 mm, such as less than 1 mm.

10. The hearing device according to claim 1, wherein one or more, such as two, charging areas being equal to or less than X mm away from an axis of an ear canal during use, such as when a person is wearing the hearing device in an ear canal, wherein X is less than 5 mm, such as less than 4 mm, such as less than 3 mm, such as less than 2 mm, such as less than 1 mm.

11. A binaural system comprising two hearing devices according to claim 1.

12. A charging station for charging a hearing device according to claim 1, said charging station comprising a concavity configured for receiving at least part of the end of the hearing device facing into the middle ear during use, and wherein said concavity is arranged with electrical contacts for applying a voltage from one charging area to another charging area, when at least part of the end of the hearing device facing into the middle ear during use is placed in the concavity.

13. The charging station according to claim 12, wherein the concavity is part of a replaceable insert configured to mate a specific hearing device, and wherein the replaceable insert has an interface for the remainder of the charging station so that electrical connection is established from the remainder of the charging station to the hearing device is established when the insert and the hearing device is placed in the remainder of the charging station.

14. A system comprising a hearing device having a housing configured for being placed at least partially in an ear canal of a user, the housing having an end configured to be positioned in the ear canal of the user and an end configured to be orientated towards the surrounding of the user when the hearing device is positioned at the ear canal of the user, wherein said hearing device comprises a. a rechargeable battery, b. at least two charging areas on the surface of the housing of the hearing device, said charging areas enabling recharging the rechargeable battery by applying a voltage from one charging area to another charging area, and wherein at least one charging area is positioned on the hearing device at the end of the hearing device facing into the middle ear during use, wherein the hearing device comprises a protrusion extending from the housing and being positioned at the end of the hearing device facing into the middle ear during use and out of contact with the walls of the ear canal during use and wherein two charging areas are positioned on the protrusion, and a charging station according to claim .

15. A method for charging a rechargeable battery of a hearing device having a housing configured for being placed at least partially in an ear canal of a user, the housing having an end configured to be positioned in the ear canal of the user and an end configured to be orientated towards the surrounding of the user when the hearing device is positioned at the ear canal of the user, wherein said hearing device comprises a. a rechargeable battery, b. at least two charging areas on the surface of the housing of the hearing device, said charging areas enabling recharging the rechargeable battery by applying a voltage from one charging area to another charging area, and wherein at least one charging area is positioned on the hearing device at the end of the hearing device facing into the middle ear during use, wherein the hearing device comprises a protrusion extending from the housing and being positioned at the end of the hearing device facing into the middle ear during use and out of contact with the walls of the ear canal during use and wherein two charging areas are positioned on the protrusion, said method comprising a. placing at least part of the end of the hearing device facing into the middle ear during use into in the concavity of a charging station according to claim 12 such as so that a plurality of charging areas are each in electrical contact with respective electrical contacts, b. applying a voltage from one charging area to another charging area.

16. The hearing device according to claim 2, wherein at least two charging areas are positioned on the hearing device at the end of the hearing device facing into the middle air during use and out of contact with the walls of the ear canal during use.

17. The hearing device according to claim 2, such as a hearing device comprising a housing, wherein one or more charging areas are positioned on the housing of the hearing device.

18. The hearing device according to claim 3, such as a hearing device comprising a housing, wherein one or more charging areas are positioned on the housing of the hearing device.

19. The hearing device according to claim 2, wherein the hearing device includes a housing having a first end and a second end being opposite to the first end, where the first end is configured to face the environment when the hearing device is worn in its operational state AND/OR where the second end of the housing is configured to extend at least partially into the ear canal of the person using the hearing device when the hearing device is worn by the person.

20. The hearing device according to claim 3, wherein the hearing device includes a housing having a first end and a second end being opposite to the first end, where the first end is configured to face the environment when the hearing device is worn in its operational state AND/OR where the second end of the housing is configured to extend at least partially into the ear canal of the person using the hearing device when the hearing device is worn by the person.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0036] The aspects of the disclosure may be best understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures. The figures are schematic and simplified for clarity, and they just show details to improve the understanding of the claims, while other details are left out. Throughout, the same reference numerals are used for identical or corresponding parts. The individual features of each aspect may each be combined with any or all features of the other aspects. These and other aspects, features and/or technical effect will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the illustrations described hereinafter in which:

[0037] FIG. 1 is a schematic showing a sideview of a hearing device,

[0038] FIG. 2 is a schematic showing an endview of a hearing device,

[0039] FIG. 3 shows a selection of hearing devices,

[0040] FIG. 4 shows a charging station for charging a hearing device,

[0041] FIG. 5 illustrates method for charging a rechargeable battery of a hearing device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of various configurations. The detailed description includes specific details for the purpose of providing a thorough understanding of various concepts. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that these concepts may be practiced without these specific details. Several aspects of the hearing device, binaural system, charging station, system and method are described by various blocks, functional units, modules, components, circuits, steps, processes, algorithms, etc. (collectively referred to as “elements”). Depending upon particular application, design constraints or other reasons, these elements may be implemented using electronic hardware, computer program, or any combination thereof.

[0043] The electronic hardware may include microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors (DSPs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), gated logic, discrete hardware circuits, and other suitable hardware configured to perform the various functionality described throughout this disclosure. Computer program shall be construed broadly to mean instructions, instruction sets, code, code segments, program code, programs, subprograms, software modules, applications, software applications, software packages, routines, subroutines, objects, executables, threads of execution, procedures, functions, etc., whether referred to as software, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description language, or otherwise.

[0044] FIG. 1 is a schematic showing a sideview of a hearing device 100 for being placed at least partially in an ear canal, wherein said hearing device comprises [0045] a. A rechargeable battery, [0046] b. A least two charging areas 120 (only one is shown in this figure) on the surface of the hearing device, said charging areas enabling recharging the rechargeable battery by applying a voltage from one charging area to another charging area,

[0047] and wherein at least one charging area is positioned on the hearing device at the end of the hearing device facing into the middle ear during use (which in the figure is the left end). The vertical dashed line at the right side of the speaker 126 indicates a virtual plane through the middle of the hearing aid, which plane has one the right side the first end facing an exterior during use and the left side the second end facing into the ear canal during use.

[0048] In the depicted embodiment, at least one charging area 120 is positioned on the first 20%, of the axis which extends from the most distant part of the second end (i.e., the part which is furthest into the ear canal during use, i.e., the left end in the figure) through the fictitious plane and to the most distant part of the first end (i.e., the part which faces the exterior during normal use, i.e., the right end in the figure). The figure also shows that at least one charging area 120 is positioned on the hearing device so as to be out of contact with the walls of the ear canal during use. The figure furthermore shows that 4. the hearing device 100 comprises a protrusion 124 being positioned at the end of the hearing device 100 facing into the middle ear during use and (said protrusion being) out of contact with the walls of the ear canal during use. The protrusion 124 at least partially comprises a speaker unit 126 and/or a speaker outlet 128. The protrusion 124 extends from the hearing instrument housing so that one, two or more charge points/pads may be placed thereon. The diameter/cross-sectional size is small enough so that the protrusion 124 may be placed with no or low risk of it touching the ear canal wall when the device is mounted in the or at the ear canal as disclosed herein.

[0049] The hearing device 100 is defining a main axis (not shown) which could be depicted as a horizontal line from one side of the paper to the other side of the paper and intersecting a middle of the charging area 120. The main axis would be substantially coincidental with an axis of an ear canal during use.

[0050] FIG. 2 is a schematic showing an endview of a hearing device 100 for being placed at least partially in an ear canal, wherein it can be seen that said hearing device comprises at least two charging areas 120, 122 that are positioned on the hearing device 100 at the end of the hearing device 100 facing into the middle air during use and out of contact with the walls of the hearing device 100 during use. The figure furthermore shows that two charging areas 120, 122 are positioned on the protrusion 124.

[0051] FIG. 3 shows a selection of hearing devices, which could each be the hearing device of one or more embodiments of the invention, the selection including an invisible-in-the-ear-canal (IIC) type hearing aid (302), a completely-in-the-canal (CIC) type hearing aid (304), an in-the-canal (ITC) type hearing aid (306), and in-the-ear (ITE) type hearing aid (308, 310).

[0052] FIG. 4 shows a charging station for charging a hearing device 100, said charging station comprising a concavity configured for receiving at least part of the end of the hearing device 100 facing into the middle ear during use, and wherein said concavity is arranged with electrical contacts for applying a voltage from one charging area to another charging area, when at least part of the end of the hearing device 100 facing into the middle ear during use is placed in the concavity. Since FIG. 4 also shows hearing devices 400a, 400b FIG. 4 also shows a system comprising a hearing device 400a, 400b and a charging station 430.

[0053] In one version, a part, or end, of the hearing instrument could have a certain diameter at a certain distance from the tip/end, so that irrespective of the remainder of the instrument, one end could fit into a charger volume/concavity and reliably connect to contact pads or be charged via wireless charging. This could be seen as the circles in FIG. 4. The part of the instrument going into the concavity should then be shaped so that the diameter at a given distance from the tip decreases the closer you get to the tip.

[0054] Two charging areas may be placed opposite each other at the surface of the hearing device, such as at opposite sites at the exterior of the surface of the hearing device.

[0055] FIG. 5 illustrates method for charging a rechargeable battery of a hearing device 100, said method comprising [0056] a. Placing 532 at least part of the end of the hearing device 100 facing into the middle ear during use into in the concavity of a charging station, such as so that a plurality of charging areas are each in electrical contact with respective electrical contacts, [0057] b. Applying 534 a voltage from one charging area to another charging area.

[0058] As used, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well (i.e. to have the meaning “at least one”), unless expressly stated otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “includes,” “comprises,” “including,” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. It will also be understood that when an element is referred to as being “connected” or “coupled” to another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other element but an intervening elements may also be present, unless expressly stated otherwise.

[0059] Furthermore, “connected” or “coupled” as used herein may include wirelessly connected or coupled. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. The steps of any disclosed method is not limited to the exact order stated herein, unless expressly stated otherwise.

[0060] It should be appreciated that reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” or “an aspect” or features included as “may” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the disclosure. Furthermore, the particular features, structures or characteristics may be combined as suitable in one or more embodiments of the disclosure. The previous description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the various aspects described herein. Various modifications to these aspects will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other aspects.

[0061] The claims are not intended to be limited to the aspects shown herein, but is to be accorded the full scope consistent with the language of the claims, wherein reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless specifically so stated, but rather “one or more.” Unless specifically stated otherwise, the term “some” refers to one or more.

[0062] Accordingly, the scope should be judged in terms of the claims that follow.